New York, NY–The grassroots Riders Alliance responded to this morning’s disastrous F and G subway commutes with the wide release of ‘The Worst Commutes of 2018,’ a volume of real-life stories submitted by subway riders whose 2018 commutes were thrown into crisis by a failing signal system and faulty, decades-old subway cars. After the public release, the Riders Alliance will send copies of the book to the governor and state legislators with a demand that they enact congestion pricing in the coming year’s budget as a part of a funding package to fix the subway.

“For tens of thousands of F and G riders, this morning’s subway service meltdown was yet another ‘Worst Commute,’ an unnecessary reminder that the governor and legislators must act on funding to fix the subway,” said Danny Pearlstein, Policy & Communications Director of the Riders Alliance. “This holiday season, riders are demanding from elected officials what’s needed to arrive on time and get home safe. We are sending ‘The Worst Commutes of 2018’ to state lawmakers today with an urgent plea for congestion pricing in the coming state budget as part of a plan to fund the full-scale modernization of our ailing transit system and the restoration of reliable service.”

The Riders Alliance is using the following cover letter to the materials sent to state elected leaders:

Dear Governor Cuomo/Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins/Speaker Heastie:

We write to extend to you the best holiday wishes of New York’s eight million subway and bus riders. Unfortunately, riders still face a crisis of delays and unreliable service. That’s why, this season, we are sharing the Worst Commutes of 2018, a little book that details the big toll of poor transit service and the anxiety it brings New York’s working families. We hope that, reflecting on these stories, you will return to Albany committed to fully funding our transit system and adopting congestion pricing as the core of a fair and sustainable funding plan in next year’s budget.

Congestion pricing is essential to making major progress on crucial transit infrastructure upgrades in coming years. It’s also fair. New York households with cars earn twice those without them. Four percent of commuters from the outer boroughs drive into Manhattan. Thirty-eight times as many poor commuters rely on transit to get to work as would pay a congestion charge. New York businesses will save money from congestion pricing by spending less time stuck in traffic and more delivering goods and providing services.

While New York can afford congestion pricing, we cannot afford to let transit deteriorate further. Beyond the eight million daily riders reliant on subways and buses, the entire city and state economy and tax base depend on the efficient movement of people that only public transit allows. As the Worst Commutes describe, a generation of disinvestment is now catching up to us and imperiling everything our state has worked for. It is time to fully fund transit and adopt congestion pricing in next year’s budget.